XIII. SER M. to mix retreat with the active business of the world, and to cultivate habits of ferious thought and recollection. I before advised thofe who are not particularly engaged in active life, to form to themfelves fome object of purfuit, in order to furnish proper employment to time and thought. But the great multitude of men are in a different fituation. Induftry is required of them; bufinefs and cares prefs; and active purfuits occupy their clofeft attention. He, who, in this situation, pours himself forth inceffantly on the world, cannot escape partaking much of its difturbance and trouble. Amidst bustle, intrigue, and diffenfion, he muft pafs many an uneafy hour. Here an enemy encounters him; there, a rival meets him. A fufpicious friend alarms him one hour; an ungrateful one provokes him the next. I do not recommend, that for thefe reasons, he who ftudies tranquillity fhould retire from all public bufinefs, and forfake the haunts of men. This were the retreat of a monk, not of a good and a XIII. wife man. Tranquillity were too dear– SER M. ly purchased by the neglect of those duties which belong to a man, and a Chriftian. Nor indeed in abfolute feclufion from the world is tranquillity ever found. On the contrary, when the human mind is cut off from those employments for which it was defigned by nature and Providence, it preys on itself, and engenders its own mifery. Tranquillity is always most likely to be attained, when the bufinefs of the world is tempered with thoughtful and ferious retreat. Commune with your hearts on your bed, and be fill. Leaving this world to itself, let there be feafons' which you devote to yourselves, and to God. Reflection and meditation allay the workings of many unquiet paffions; and place us at a distance from the tumults of the world. When the mind has either been ruffled or caft down, in intercourfe with God and heaven we find a fanctuary to which we can retreat. In the hours of contemplation and devotion, a good man enjoys himself in VOL. IV. peace. T SERM. peace. He beholds nobler objects than XIII. what worldly men can behold. He affumes a higher character. He liftens to the voice of nature and of God; and from this holy fanctuary comes forth with a mind fortified against the little disturbances of the world. Such habits, therefore, cannot be too much recommended to the lovers of tranquillity, as powerful fubfidiary means for attaining that happy state. I HAVE thus pointed out what appears to me the difcipline of religion and wisdom for tranquillity of mind. He that doth these things fhall never be moved. During the early periods of life, vivid fenfations of pleasure are the fole objects thought worthy of purfuit. Mere ease and calmnefs are defpifed, as the portion of the aged only and the feeble. Some longer acquaintance with the world, with its difappointed hopes and fallacious pleafures, teaches almost all men, by degrees, to wish for tranquillity and peace. But you must not imagine, that these XIII. thefe are bleffings which will drop on SERM men of their own accord, as foon as they begin to defire them No: The thoughtlefs, and the profligate, will ever remain ftrangers to them. They will remain the fport of every accident that occurs to derange their minds, and to disturb their life. The three great enemies to tranquillity are, Vice, Superftition, and Idlenefs: Vice, which poifons and difturbs the mind with bad paffions; Superftition, which fills it with imaginary terrors; Idlenefs, which loads it with tediousness and difguft. It is only by following the path which Eternal Wisdom has pointed out, that we can arrive at the bleffed temple of Tranquillity, and obtain a station there: By doing, or at least endeavouring to do, our duty to God and man; by acquiring an humble truft in the mercy and favour of God through Jefus Chrift; by cultivating our minds, and properly employing our time and thoughts; by governing our paffions and our temper; by correcting all unreasonable expectations T 2 XIII. SERM. tions from the world, and from men; and in the midft of worldly business, habituating ourselves to calm retreat and serious recollection.-By fuch means as thefe, it may be hoped, that, through the divine bleffing, our days fhall flow in a stream as unruffled as the human ftate admits. The wicked are like the troubled fea, when it cannot reft. But the work of righteousness is peace'; and the effect of righteoufnefs is quietness and affurance for ever* *Ifaiah xxxii. 17. SERMON |
